Blackout
by MetalPrincess13
Summary: There's really only so much you can do during a blackout, and it seemed they had found the best way to pass their time. Palletshipping one-shot, top!Ash.


Blackout

There's really only so much you can do during a blackout, and it seemed they had found the best way to pass their time. Somewhat fluffy Palletshipping PWP one-shot.

… … ...

Um. Yeah, so, Florida had a tropical storm recently which gave us about three days of rain and at some point knocked a neighbor's tree branch on to a powerline, giving us a blackout for a few hours. Somehow that led to this? This would have been done and posted much sooner, but being an LGBT woman an hour away from Orlando... Let's just say the motivation to finish the story completely dissipated when the news of the Pulse massacre came out. Plus I felt writing to every senator and representative I possibly could, signing every petition I possibly could, and encouraging everyone around me to do the same was more important than writing a smutty fanfic. I probably would have finished and posted this either June 12th or 13th, but it took over a week to be able to continue writing, much less finish and post.

One of my biggest pet peeves with Palletshipping is how often Ash is portrayed as a super submissive little bitch (for lack of a better term), or how often Gary is super-domineering to the point where it comes off as kinda dub-con. Come on now, these two would be bickering and challenging each other all the time: that's just their dynamic. I just can't see a character as hard-headed and strong-willed as Ash being so totally submissive. So, I played with the dynamic a bit and turned the tables from what is usually shown in Palletshipping lemons, and I'm fairly happy with the way it turned out. Though, I do think Gary came out a touch more submissive than I wanted, but that's also got to do with him being in a "I over-worked myself and I just want to lay on the couch and do nothing" sort of mood.

This was also meant to be a bit of an exercise in description using senses other than sight, so it is a bit description heavy and I would love some feedback/constructive criticism on that. Thanks in advance!

Anyway, sorry for the lengthy author's note. Enjoy? Reviews are much appreciated!

… … ...

Rain coursed down the windows, the droplets striking the glass with such force that Gary occasionally wondered if it wasn't actually hailstones pinging across his windows and roof. A bright flash of lightning lit the living room and, nearly simultaneously, a clap of thunder echoed around the small house. The storm continued to rage outside but neither man paid any attention. They had grown used to it after all.

A small whine, ending in a huff came from Gary's side and he absently patted Umbreon on the head as he lazily took a sip of his drink. Ash glanced over with a grin. "He really hates thunderstorms, doesn't he?" he asked, returning his attention to the battle simulator game on his cell phone.

Gary shrugged lazily. "He's not a fan of them. He's actually more annoyed that we couldn't go on our morning run." As if to show his agreement, Umbreon huffed again and nudged Gary's hand with his nose.

"I'm surprised it hasn't let up," Ash murmured agreeably. "When do you think the power will come back on?"

"Probably not for another few hours."

Gary closed his eyes with a sigh and settled back against the cushions and pillows behind him. The blackout from the storm had already lasted a few hours. Fortunately, the autumn weather kept the house comfortably cool and Gary's fondness for candles meant that the living room was bathed in a warm flickering glow. It was actually relaxing in a way. Or, it would be, if his head hadn't been pounding all day.

The occupants of the room fell into relative silence, comfortable in their quiet companionship. Minutes stretched on without a word being shared between the couple. With his eyes closed, Gary's world was reduced down to the sounds of the storm, the wind thrashing the trees outside, the stressed branches groaning in protest, all with the background of the rain pouring down on Pallet and the sporadic rumblings of thunder. Throughout those noises were Ash's periodic mutterings to himself as he devised new battle strategies, his game occasionally emitting a quiet beep or buzz as he maneuvered through the simulated battles.

Gary relaxed deeper into the couch cushions, allowing the calming sounds to take over his mind, pushing away all thoughts. His mind blissfully blank, he was able to feel exhaustion creeping over him, dragging him to a quiet place where the sounds of the raging storm had become distant...

"You're not falling asleep again, are you?" Ash's voice cut through the sleepy fog that had filled Gary's brain.

"It's not like there's much else to do during a blackout," Gary retorted.

He didn't bother opening his eyes, opting to focus on how very comfortable the couch cushions and throw pillows were. He tried to ignore the throbbing in his head, which had only slightly reduced as his exhaustion had taken him, and instead breathed in slowly, enjoying the varied scents of the scattered candles around the room. He tried to focus on picking apart the smells as a distraction – the spicy cinnamon and cloves wafting from the pumpkin spice arrangement on the coffee table, the sweet vanilla drifting from Ash's side table, the rich caramel coming from the candle nearest him... Did he even own a candle that wasn't some sort of fall scent?

"There are plenty of other things to do." Ash said quietly.

Gary snorted, opening his eyes to look across the room at his boyfriend. "Oh yeah, sure: get drunk, get stoned, get fucked..."

"Well, why don't you do one of those instead?"

Closing his eyes again, Gary let out a groan. "Don't want the hangover, don't feel like it, and I have a headache."

"Really? You're going to use the headache line?" Ash teased, raising an eyebrow. "After the number of times you've talked me into sex to make my headaches go away?"

"It's a migraine."

Ash sighed and dropped his phone so that it lay on his chest. He suddenly felt bad for teasing his boyfriend of five years. "You're working too hard again," he chastised lightly, observing Gary's closed eyes, the slight frown that crinkled his brow. He almost felt like he should have noticed the signs sooner.

Gary said nothing. Personally, he agreed; he'd hardly had a a day off in nearly a month, his stress-induced migraines had returned, and he had barely spent some real time with Ash. No wonder he was so tired and in a bit of a crummy mood. Outwardly, however, he appeared indifferent, though his boyfriend seemed to see right through it. He always did.

Ash set his phone down on the coffee table and stood to cross the room. From his spot on the arm rest nearest to Ash, Pikachu raised his head curiously. He quickly resumed his curled position as Ash positioned himself on the other couch, sliding across Gary's waist until his knees were on either side of the brunette. Umbreon made a noise of annoyance and stood from his position next to the couch, stalking the other side of the room and lying down next to Pikachu.

Gary merely stared up at him. After lying on the couch for so long, he hardly felt like moving. Ash recognized this and smiled down at him as his hands moved up Gary's torso, stopping to rub at the taller man's shoulders.

"You're too tense," he whispered against Gary's ear, lightly kneading at the tension in his shoulders. "You need to relax more. Let me actually take care of you." With that, he pulled back just enough for brown eyes to meet green.

Another crack of thunder boomed nearby and the trees creaked loudly in the wind. More rain whipped across the window but for a moment none of that mattered. All that seemed to matter was Ash's closeness, his worn hands soothing away tension that he had forgotten was there, and his warm scent that was uniquely Ash.

Gazing down into his partner's eyes, Ash couldn't help but feel drawn in by Gary. His head tilted downward slightly, drawing ever closer to drop a tender kiss to his boyfriend's mouth. It was just about the gentlest kiss that Ash, with his energetic and passionate personality, could possibly give: lips softly touching, ghosting across one another before just barely pulling away.

Ash was close enough that all he could sense was his lover. He could feel his warm breath fan across his lips, he could feel his blood rushing through him, he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Looking down once more, he was struck by the overwhelming feeling of love for the handsome researcher beneath him. Lost in the moment, he shivered ever so slightly at the fluttering feeling in his stomach. It didn't matter how many kisses they shared, how many intimate nights they spent tangled together, or how many days they spent just being together, he always felt that spark deep within.

"I still have a headache," Gary announced quietly. The slightest smirk tugged at his lips as he reminded Ash of his earlier proposition.

Ash smiled faintly, noticing that his boyfriend was no longer frowning. "Then we need to increase your testosterone levels a bit, don't we?"

"Serotonin," Gary corrected, causing Ash to roll his eyes.

"Whatever," Ash retorted, leaning down to press his lips to Gary's once more.

This time Gary responded by reaching a hand up, snaking his fingers through Ash's thick, messy hair and parting his lips in a slight moan. It had been too long since they had kissed like this: taking their time, kissing just to kiss. Most times when they had kissed recently it had been either quick, chaste pecks or hard, fast kisses as they rushed through sex in the small amount of time that they had together.

The kiss was long and deep, the slow pace doing nothing to decrease the intensity between the two men. Their tongues moved together, leisurely exploring and stroking each other as their lips caressed. The intensity only built as Ash's hands gradually moved away from Gary's shoulders, one sliding upwards to ghost along his neck before brushing through the mahogany spikes. The other traveled downward and traced its way down the lean torso of his lover, eventually resting as his waist, his thumb gently stroking the smooth skin.

The light touches drew a stronger response from Gary, pulling him more completely away from his earlier exhaustion. His lips moved faster against Ash's, pressing harder, more demanding, as his breathing increased. The hand he had buried in Ash's hair tightened its grip and his free hand moved across his back, his arm curling around his waist and pulling the smaller man ever closer.

Pants filled the air from both of them as they gasped for breath between kisses that were growing more and more frantic by the second. Ash's touch grew heavier, his hand drifting from Gary's hip to his outer thigh, fingers gripping at the jean-covered flesh. Heat spread through him as he was filled with lust. Everywhere Gary touched him felt to be on fire.

Gary's hands wandered as their tongues curled together, smoothing over the expanse of Ash's back. His fingers traced over the muscles that had developed from years of hard physical work and he was briefly mesmerized by the contrast between the softness of Ash's shirt and the hard rippling of muscle just below that barrier of thin fabric.

Ash suddenly shifted his weight, moving his knees and stretching to lie atop Gary, their legs tangling together. The change in position only fueled the fire more, pressing their bodies closer together until there was no space between them and creating a delicious friction. The kiss grew sloppier as their breathing grew louder. Hushed noises of pleasure came from each of them, filling the room and drowning out the storm. It all pervaded his senses and took over until he was hardly aware of the darkened room around them.

Hearing his partner's faint moans stirred something in Ash. It pleased him, reminding him that he was the only person who ever had this effect on Gary.

"That's it," Ash murmured, teasing. He dragged his mouth along his partner's jaw, placing hot, open-mouthed kisses along the flesh. "Slow down for once."

His tongue flicked out, the tip drawing a thin line along the side of Gary's throat as one of his hands slowly meandered down his chest. He grinned inwardly as Gary's head tilted back pleasurably, eyes closed, a groan spilling from his lips.

"You're one to speak," Gary ground out. Long fingers skirted along a sensitive spot on his ribs and he was quickly silenced by Ash's mouth on his again. The unexpected kiss was fierce but quick.

"Shut up," Ash breathed as he pulled back and traced his lips down to Gary's throat, nipping harshly at the skin there. Continuing his ministrations on the sensitive stretch of skin, Ash inched his hands up Gary's torso, slowly pulling the shirt up. Sitting up, he tugged the shirt over his boyfriend's head and dropped it to the floor.

Ash's hands reached Gary's jeans and, grinning, he swiftly undid the button and pulled down the zipper before trying to tug them down. Gary, however, smirked as he resisted the urge to lift his hips to help Ash. Predictably, Ash's grin turned a bit feral in response. Little battles of dominance like this were typical: serving as exciting and oddly arousing reminders of their former rivalry. It was all just another way their passion flared up between them.

He tugged harder at the jeans, growling slightly as Gary squirmed in a way that made it nearly impossible to make any progress. Though he was already very nearly-unbearably aroused, Gary felt himself growing even harder in anticipation. He knew Ash would soon grow frustrated and find a way to assert himself, which Gary personally found to be incredibly sexy. A large part of him thoroughly loved Ash dominating him, but his characteristic stubborn and, at times, domineering persona wouldn't let Ash just take him without earning it.

Of course, Ash was equally stubborn and driven, in his training as well as in the bedroom... Or whatever room they happened to fool around in.

"Damn it, Gary!" Ash finally snapped after a moment or two of struggling with his frustrating lover. Pressing his hands into his partner's hips, he pinned him to the couch and loomed over him with a glare.

Gary merely smirked up at him. "Well, that's not going to get them off any faster, now is it?" he drawled.

The small display of dominance from Ash was sexy, but it wasn't enough yet; he wanted more of a response. His hands slid down to Ash's waist and pulled at his jeans, fiddling leisurely with the button. It was a subtle way of taunting him, as if saying _you haven't won yet_.

This seemed to do the trick. Ash caught his hands roughly and pulled them away from his waist, pinning them none too gently above Gary's head. Before Gary could react, Ash reached down and was finally able to tug off the older man's jeans and boxers, tossing them to the floor and returning his hands to their former grip on Gary's wrists.

Ash arched an eyebrow expectantly as he leaned back slightly, leaving his hands in place as he gazed down at Gary. He knew there was a comment of some sort coming.

"Ooh, rough," Gary taunted playfully. He bit back a pleasured moan when Ash pressed harder on his wrists.

The trainer smirked down at him, knowing he had won this particular battle. "What happened to having a migraine?" His mouth lowered once more, nipping harshly at the other's throat and drawing a harsh gasp from him.

Gary writhed beneath him, panting as one of Ash's hands lifted from his pinned wrists to trail down his chest, eventually stopping at his hip. The headache wasn't gone, but the throbbing had migrated from his head to his groin. Instead of hearing the roaring of every throb in his head, he heard only the symphony of their heavy breathing and the frantic thumping of his own heart.

"Increase in blood circulation," he retorted breathily, ever the scientist.

The hand on his hips moved again and ghosted over the erect member that had been pointedly ignored. Ash chuckled at the resulting moan and watched, intoxicated by lust, as his wonderfully attractive lover arched into the touch. It had _definitely_ been much too long.

"Increased blood circulation, huh?" His hand slowly pumped the shaft once, his long fingers lightly squeezing the hardened flesh. "I couldn't tell." He ran a finger teasingly along the underside, chuckling lowly when Gary twitched in his hand.

"Arceus, do you ever shut up?" Gary hissed as Ash continued with the teasing.

"You know the answer to that."

Rolling his eyes, Gary suddenly grasped the back of Ash's neck, pulling him in for a rough kiss with the sole purpose of shutting him up.

It worked. Within seconds, Ash was quiet as their lips brushed together harshly. Rough hands seemed to be everywhere: grasping at hips, tugging on hair, groping along torsos. Hips ground together, hard bulges catching, the friction pulling delirious moans from both of them.

With Gary's clothes having been shed and their kiss growing more and more intense, the heat between them could only intensify. As their heated exchange continued, Gary's hands clawed at Ash's clothing. His hands slid beneath the shirt separating their bare flesh, scratching at the lightly toned back beneath the fabric in his desperation to be rid of the excess barrier. Ash's hands left Gary's skin for a moment to tug up the fabric of his shirt and he pulled back from the kiss just long enough to pull it over his head and toss it aside, careful to avoid the many lit candles. Gary's hands immediately set to work, smoothing across the flat stomach that was revealed.

Ash leaned in once more, ghosting his lips over Gary's. "I'll be right back," he whispered against his mouth.

"You should hurry up," Gary purred back. "My migraine might come back."

Ash said nothing as stood and moved towards the bedroom. He was only gone for a moment but it was long enough for Gary to catch his breath and compose himself slightly. He could faintly hear Ash rummaging around in the bedroom and waited for him to return.

"Too late," Gary drawled as he heard Ash walking back into the living room. "The headache's back, we'll have to start all over."

Ash smiled challengingly as he stepped around the back of the couch and dropped a small bottle onto the coffee table. "I think we can manage that," he replied. He grinned when he saw his boyfriend's eyes rake up and down his newly naked form, his eyes lingering on the thick length between his thighs.

Gary's smirk faltered when the reply sank in. "Fuck," he groaned. "You're going to be a teasing pain in the ass now, aren't you?"

A small smirk appeared on Ash's face as he crawled onto the couch and resumed his straddled position in his boyfriend's lap. "Oh, I don't think it'll be all that painful," he teased, thrusting lightly, causing their erections to rub together. "Although, if you want painful..." He leaned in suddenly, sealing his mouth over the junction where Gary's neck met his shoulder, and bit down hard.

"Ow! Ash!" Gary shoved his shoulders in retaliation, glaring up at him.

"At least I wasn't being a pain in the _ass_ ," the trainer replied cheekily as he moved further down Gary's body and reached for the bottle he had brought with him.

"Yeah, but it still hurt," Gary shot back.

Ash smiled sympathetically and leaned forward again, gently pressing his lips to the mark he had left. Gary's eyes slid shut at the feeling of Ash's tongue laving the bite mark. The click of the lube opening seemed to echo through the dark room and Gary sighed at the anticipatory flutter of excitement in his abdomen.

The movement of Ash's tongue was causing a delicious meeting point between pleasure and pain, which caused his hips to buck involuntarily. Gary forced his eyes open as Ash pulled back again and eagerly licked his lips as he watched Ash's fingers maneuver the bottle in his hand. He wasn't sure if the storm outside had actually quieted, or if the sounds had just faded away from their attention, but he could hear every soft, slippery noise as Ash upended the bottle over one hand. He was only vaguely aware of his quickened breathing as he watched Ash pour a liberal amount into his palm, his long fingers glistening in the candlelight as the liquid spread along them.

Once Ash's fingers were slick with the oily substance he wasted no time in continuing the slow teasing from before. Relaxing against the pillows on the couch, Gary spread his legs wider and gazed up at Ash, his brain too clouded with pleasure to come up with a witty retort or even a smirk.

He gasped suddenly, his harsh breath evolving to a desperate moan as Ash's fingers pressed near his entrance, one digit leisurely circling his anus a couple times before applying a light pressure against it and finally sliding in. The brunette's hips rocked slightly in response, more pleasurable noises spilling from him as the finger gradually slid deeper and eventually began moving within him.

The couple had always been versatile in the bedroom and both had plenty of experience being penetrated, to the point that neither truly needed too much warming up, but this... _This_ was something else.

The entire mood and atmosphere seemed different. Maybe it had something to do with the spontaneity of sex on the couch in the middle of the day, maybe it was the dark room being lit only by candlelight and the occasional flash of lightning. Maybe it was just that it had been quite some time since they had taken the time to make out, tease, and explore. No matter what it was, Gary experienced wave after wave of intense pleasure from the slightest touch. It seemed his dark-haired lover was enjoying it as well, if the lust-darkened gaze and soft panting were anything to go by.

Another finger slipped in, stretching him even further and drawing more and more moans from the researcher. Biting his lip in anticipation, Ash ran his other hand up and down Gary's side, mapping out the sensitive areas on his ribs, stomach, and hips.

As Ash's fingers worked within him, he could feel a warm sensation coiling through his stomach and into his groin. He felt an intense need for more as pleasure boiled within, bringing him closer and closer to ecstasy, yet never quite close enough to push him over the edge.

Finally, unable to keep up the teasing a moment longer, Ash withdrew his fingers and swiftly wrapped his fingers around his cock, pumping quickly to coat his length with the remaining lube on his fingers. Feeling the researcher's intense gaze on him, he used his other hand to pour even more of the liquid over his shaft and made a show of coating it with a tantalizingly long pump. Grinning at Gary's impatient groan, he tugged his partner's hips closer, reveling in the broken pants already filling the room.

Gently spreading his thighs just a bit wider, Ash held the bottle over his lover's already-slick entrance, drizzling more of the clear liquid and chuckling at the gasp that followed the move. He loved seeing Gary this way and knew he was the only one who ever got to see _this_ particular side of the researcher.

"Just fuck me already," Gary growled, reaching for the bottle of lube so that he could move it out of his insufferable partner's reach and end this torturous teasing.

Ash slapped his hand away lightly. "Patience," he whispered teasingly. He leaned over Gary to place the bottle on the nearest table and fought down a groan as his impatient boyfriend responded by lifting his head to nip at the flesh that hovered above him in that brief moment.

Settling back between Gary's legs, Ash shot him another quick grin. He knew this wasn't any sort of battle or competition, but he couldn't help but feel like he was winning here. Having sex, losing themselves in the moment, their bodies giving in to their desires as adrenaline rushed through their veins – it was all so similar to the excitement of a battle, and it rarely failed to bring out a competitive edge and an urge to win. Pressing the tip of his shaft to his lover's entrance, he took a deep breath, intending to savor each moment of this "battle" as he pushed gently through the ring of muscle.

With another gasp, Gary's eyes slid shut as he was slowly filled, adjusting quickly to the increased girth. Ash was overcome with the feeling of pulsing heat, able to feel every little movement, every single _breath_ his partner took. He watched Gary's face closely, making sure he wasn't moving too fast - after all, it wasn't particularly often that he found himself within his boyfriend. He kept his thrusts slow and steady, gently rocking into his partner until he could take no more of this frustratingly tender fuck.

Nearly frantic with desire, Gary's hips rocked upward towards Ash, trying desperately to take more of him, harder, faster. "C'mon, Ashy-boy; you're not going to get anyone off that way."

The trainer shook his head and gave a particularly hard thrust, smirking when the man below him arched up into him. Still keeping a slow and steady pace, he gave another hard, deep thrust, filling his partner entirely before pulling out in an excruciatingly slow rhythm.

Ash's thighs burned in protest to the slow movements, his entire body screaming at him to go faster, but he enjoyed this too much to give in. This was his favorite way to see the researcher – letting go of his control, giving in to pleasure in a totally different way from usual. He would wait until his lover could take no more and _begged_ to be truly _fucked_.

It wasn't about winning against his former rival: it was all about seeing the real Gary, the man below the cool facade - the person he loved.

"More, dammit..."

The low sigh brought a grin to Ash's face and he finally sped up his movements, gradually building faster and faster until he was pounding into his lover. Gary wrapped his legs around Ash's waist, pulling him as close as possible, to the point where it was difficult to maintain the intense rhythm. Still thrusting as hard and fast as he could, Ash felt himself fast becoming overwhelmed by the tight heat enveloping him. As he buried his face against Gary's shoulder, he could feel the heat of pleasure swirling within him. His angle shifted slightly, simulating the spot deep inside his partner more than ever, and he was rewarded with a desperate moan against his messy hair.

"Fuck!"

"What were you saying about not getting anyone off?" Ash teased, the question punctuated with his heavy breaths as he continued to slam into the receptive male below him.

He felt Gary's hands tighten against his back, dragging his nails along his spine. There was almost certainly a touch of retaliation in the scratches, but Ash knew that he had found that magic spot. He quickened his thrusts as much as he could, aiming to strike that same spot over and over. Sweat slicked their torsos, only intensifying the sensations of their bodies colliding together.

Ash could feel the edge of his own orgasm approaching swiftly as that heat within burned hotter and hotter. As their pants and gasps grew louder, Gary reached between their bodies to grasp his leaking erection.

Every muscle in his body was taut, an endless stream of moans falling from his lips as his hand pumped his cock at an increasingly erratic rate. Finally, the coil of heat within snapped and his orgasm washed over him in a shuddering wave that had him crying out in ecstasy and arching uncontrollably into Ash.

The sudden convulsing of his boyfriend's walls around him brought Ash over the edge. Gasping sharply and thrusting frantically into the man below him, Ash felt pleasure shooting through his entire body and into his partner.

For a moment, neither of them moved, save for their heaving chests and trembling legs as the final waves of their orgasms flowed through them. As their gasping breaths slowed, Ash finally lifted his head from Gary's shoulder and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, gently pulling his softening length from his partner as he did so.

Completely overwhelmed by a sudden exhaustion, Gary slumped against the pillows. Ash slid from his position atop Gary to lie next to him, just barely managing to fit on the couch without one of them falling. For several minutes, they simply laid there, relaxing as they recovered. As their breathing returned to normal, the sounds of the storm outside returned to their attention, just as loud as before.

After some time a chuckle rumbled through Ash's throat and Gary glanced over at him. "What?"

Ash grinned. "Man, when you get in a submissive mood..."

Groaning, Gary rolled his eyes. "I didn't make too much of an idiot out of myself, did I?"

"Of course not," Ash replied, leaning up on his elbow. "I love when you get like that! It's so different from normal, you actually let go and lose control. It's... special, in a way."

"We need to do special more often."

"How about every future blackout?"

Gary laughed softly and pulled Ash back down so that the smaller man was resting his head atop his chest. "Well, it should be more often than that, but, yeah: it can be our blackout tradition."

"Fine," Ash replied, grinning. "Every blackout and every time you get a migraine."

"Good," Gary replied quietly. "Now go get a towel."

Smiling fondly, Ash reached up to smooth his fingers through Gary's hair. "I love you," he whispered, nuzzling against his throat before stretching languidly and climbing to his feet.

"Love you too, Ashy-boy."

… … …


End file.
